The team moved on the eastern front of the chaotic zone for nine days before barely entering the border of Thunder Kingdom before double-digit days.
Along the way, Wang Qi inspected the three banyan trees he had left on the east line of the trade route and the corresponding refugee teams.
The situation is not entirely satisfactory, but it is not bad either.
People who have spent a period of time in famine will easily have the idea of "the weak and the strong eating" engraved in their hearts. The three teams allocate resources in a manner that is heavily tilted towards strong labor.
Wang Qi did not ask them to improve. After all, if we really investigate, in a living environment where we have to face small groups of little devils at any time, the number and physical fitness of the strong labor force are directly related to the survival rate of the entire team. For long-term considerations, it is indeed necessary. Priority must be given to ensuring the condition of a strong workforce.
The three teams did not take advantage of Wang Qi's departure to return to their old business, which was considered a good result in Wang Qi's opinion.
Of course, even if they robbed again, it wouldn't be a big deal. Just kill a few more leaders. Anyway, it wouldn't be a killing spree that would make the entire team lose hope of survival.
When we arrived at the Thunder Border, more than half a month had passed since our departure.
When Wang Qi left Lei Ming Country, they had not yet opened their borders to refugees. The situation has obviously changed now. Several groups of people wearing thunderous military uniforms can be seen wandering around the refugee shacks.
I asked the guarantor to inquire about it, and he said that he was recruiting for the army.
Shake his head and pay directly to cross the border.
The entry fee to Lei Ming Country has been increased several times after the disaster in the northwest. It is now calculated on a per-person basis, regardless of size, and is 110 yuan per person.
The guarantor who was responsible for negotiating the price and paying the money was shocked on the spot: "It was only 50 when we left!"
The border soldier stretched his neck and took a look at the formation of giant bears and rows of carriages behind the two men. There was no need to force him. He just said: "Then you have been away for a month or two. Now the price is one per day. Come here." Unfortunately, it was still 100 in the morning."
Sure enough, as Master Wang Qi said, Lei Ming Country's currency system is heading towards collapse.
But things still had to be done. The guarantor went back and asked a few questions, and then came back and asked, "Can we pay less in copper?"
The soldier's eyes lit up, and then immediately became gloomy again.
If it were an ordinary businessman, this would be a good opportunity to rip off people, but the ones at the back don't look like businessmen.
When doing border business, the most important thing is to have a good eye. Recently, many people have been sent to pick the shit because they offended the mages hired from outside to help.
"65 one, no more."
The guarantor pinched his fingers and calculated in his mind and said, "We only have 50 denominations of copper coins, and there are 25 people. Do you think 1,600 is okay?"
The border soldier looked at the captain who was pretending to be sleeping not far away. When he saw something happening there, he responded: "1600, 1600, hurry, hurry, there are people waiting behind."
After collecting the money, the work became very simple, and the carriage was released without even checking.
As soon as they passed the border, the problem babies had questions again. Unfortunately, they were all on the carriage at this time and it was difficult to talk. They could only ask the attendants and discuss with the riding classmates.
Soon their attention was drawn away by other situations, refugees and refugee soldiers.
It is easy to notice that outside the city less than three miles away from the border, there are also a large number of shacks and refugees. However, the situation is very different from the overseas refugees. Most of them have personal appearance in terms of clothing and facial cleanliness. .
A little further along, I encountered a moving group of about 800 refugee soldiers. Although it was much cleaner, the look of complete indifference to life and death that I saw when passing by was almost the same as the refugees outside. .
At night, Wang Qi's group and the temporary camps of the refugee soldiers were less than two miles apart, and they could see the light of each other's campfires.
While the exchange students were preparing dinner, they couldn't help themselves:
"Mr. Dean, why can I save so much on transit fees by using copper coins?"
Li Xiang was feeding Bai Xiaojiao, while Wang Qi was playing hide-and-seek with Xiong Erduo on the other side and replied: "Under the mechanism of priority supply of all materials to the battlefield, ordinary people cannot buy sufficient materials even if they have money, and prices will inevitably rise. Lei Mingguo is
In order to ensure military operations, there is a high probability that additional money will be printed. At this time, the total amount of money on the market is too much compared to the supplies that can be purchased, which will further accelerate price increases.
The difference between copper coins and banknotes is currently mainly caused by "future expectations".
If we assume that the Thunder Kingdom is completely destroyed, will their banknotes definitely become waste paper? At that time, copper coins will at least be able to sell for copper prices, and some batches with smaller output and better quality will still have some premiums for display purposes.
Not everyone can make a judgment about such a future, but there will always be some people who consciously reduce their holdings of banknotes and increase their inventories of copper coins, gold bars and other precious metals. This behavior will further increase the "scarcity" attribute of copper coins, making them available in front of their eyes. Maintain a relatively stable currency value. "
"Is it possible that the Thunder Kingdom doesn't print money?" Female exchange students often ask side questions.
Wang Qi thought about it carefully and shook his head: "Impossible. No matter what the underlying subject matter is, the transaction value of banknotes always comes from the credit of the issuer. When the entire country is about to be destroyed, the accumulated credit assets Cashing out is the fastest and surest way to increase your winning rate.”
"...I don't understand."
Wang Qi just chatted and took a look at the food being heated at the scene as an example: "For example, we only have a few supplies in total, and you happen to have the money to buy these supplies. I should collect your money every day." After making so much, you work hard every day and earn back the money.
Now I am issuing currency and forcibly accelerating currency devaluation to push up prices. Tomorrow you can only afford two cakes, and the rest is mine. But it is obvious that the consequence of me issuing coins in this way is that you will no longer hold the "king coins" I issued in the future, and all the coins I issue in the future will become waste paper. This is the realization of credit. "
"Wouldn't that mean many people will become poor?"
"It's better than being eaten by demons." This answer came from a single exchange student.
Wang Qi's more optimistic exchange student who is suspected of being a descendant of the Communist Party commented: "This is the idea. Between national destruction and credit bankruptcy, the latter is obviously less costly. As long as the country continues to exist, it will not happen in another hundred years." Someone remembers what happened today."
The senior official of the Fourth Ring Road who was traveling with the maid headed towards the refugee camp and said, "But this situation doesn't look like it can be sustained."
An international student looked at Wang Qi and he smiled: "This is the conflict between theory and reality. The realization of credit can indeed allow the country to have the money to deal with a full-scale war, but what we have to face now is not a war between people. , specifically speaking to the soldiers who need to step forward to fill their lives, the choices are relatively limited.
There is another problem here. During the period of rapid currency depreciation, no one can guarantee whether military pay will still be able to afford food in a few months. The main way to hire people will become direct food security. Superimposed on the expected mortality rate of facing the demons, the treatment gap is too big for the people of the original Thunder Kingdom. Not many people will accept such conditions before their individual resources are diluted, so they can only choose overseas refugees with worse physical conditions to fill the gap. Wire. "
As they chatted and ate, Wang Qi gave them a shot before they broke up and rested: "What we are doing now are discussions between rational people. When we get to the front line, there will not be so many rational people. The atmosphere on the battlefield will make many people forget that death is What a terrible thing."
